Masked Lapwing

Vanellus miles

The masked lapwing is a large, common and conspicuous bird native to Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea. It spends most of its time on the ground searching for food such as insects and worms and has several distinctive calls. It is common in Australian fields, open land and where there is lots of water, and is known for its defensive swooping behaviour during the nesting season.

Select tracking region

Where are you looking?

Select a tracking region above to ping the eBird database and reveal live hotspots for the Masked Lapwing.

Loading sightings...

💬 Discussion

Loading comments...

Enter your name and email to join the discussion

Low-Light Telephoto Systems

Identifying specific features of the Masked Lapwing requires high-contrast magnification. Check out the top-rated 8x42 optics.

View Pro Optics

📘 ID Reference Card

Shorebird ID Pocket Reference

Compact pocket-card format — print & fold. Covers plumage, field marks, and song mnemonics.

$4.99View Card

Expedition Prep

Targeting the Masked Lapwing?

Build a custom travel itinerary around these hotpot clusters using our trip planning suite.

Open Planner